High-density Electroencephalography Research Articles

Acoustically evoked K-complexes together with sleep spindles boost verbal declarative memory consolidation in healthy adults

Over the past decade, phase-targeted auditory stimulation (PTAS), a neuromodulation approach which presents auditory stimuli locked to the ongoing phase of slow waves during sleep, has shown potential to enhance specific aspects of sleep functions. However, the complexity of PTAS responses complicates the establishment of causality between specific electroencephalographic events and observed benefits. Here, we used down-PTAS during sleep to specifically evoke the early, K-complex (KC)-like response following PTAS without leading to a sustained increase in slow-wave activity throughout the stimulation window. Over the course of two nights, one with down-PTAS, the other without, high-density electroencephalography (hd-EEG) was recorded from 14 young healthy adults. The early response exhibited striking similarities to evoked KCs and was associated with improved verbal memory consolidation via stimulus-evoked spindle events nested into the up-phase of ongoing 1 Hz waves in a central region. These findings suggest that the early, KC-like response is sufficient to boost memory, potentially by orchestrating aspects of the hippocampal-neocortical dialogue.

Electroencephalography microstate alterations reflect potential double-edged cognitive adaptation in Ménière's disease.

To explore the microstate characteristics and underlying brain network activity of Ménière's disease (MD) patients based on high-density electroencephalography (EEG), elucidate the association between microstate dynamics and clinical manifestation, and explore the potential of EEG microstate features as future neurobiomarkers for MD. Thirty-two patients diagnosed with MD and 29 healthy controls (HC) matched for demographic characteristics were included in the study. Dysfunction and subjective symptom severity were assessed by neuropsychological questionnaires, pure tone audiometry, and vestibular function tests. Resting-state EEG recordings were obtained using a 256-channel EEG system, and the electric field topographies were clustered into four dominant microstate classes (A, B, C, and D). The dynamic parameters of each microstate were analyzed and utilized as input for a support vector machine (SVM) classifier to identify significant microstate signatures associated with MD. The clinical significance was further explored through Spearman correlation analysis. MD patients exhibited an increased presence of microstate class C and a decreased frequency of transitions between microstate class A and B, as well as between class A and D. The transitions from microstate class A to C were also elevated. Further analysis revealed a positive correlation between equilibrium scores and the transitions from microstate class A to C under somatosensory challenging conditions. Conversely, transitions between class A and B were negatively correlated with vertigo symptoms. No significant correlations were detected between these characteristics and auditory test results or emotional scores. Utilizing the microstate features identified via sequential backward selection, the linear SVM classifier achieved a sensitivity of 86.21% and a specificity of 90.61% in distinguishing MD patients from HC. We identified several EEG microstate characteristics in MD patients that facilitate postural control yet exacerbate subjective symptoms, and effectively discriminate MD from HC. The microstate features may offer a new approach for optimizing cognitive compensation strategies and exploring potential neurobiological markers in MD.

An approach to the detection of pain from autonomic and cortical correlates

ObjectiveTo assess the value of combining brain and autonomic measures to discriminate the subjective perception of pain from other sensory-cognitive activations. Methods20 healthy individuals received 2 types of tonic painful stimulation delivered to the hand: electrical stimuli and immersion in 10 Celsius degree (°C) water, which were contrasted with non-painful immersion in 15°C water, and stressful cognitive testing. High-density electroencephalography (EEG) and autonomic measures (pupillary, electrodermal and cardiovascular) were continuously recorded, and the accuracy of pain detection based on combinations of electrophysiological features was assessed using machine learning procedures. ResultsPainful stimuli induced a significant decrease in contralateral EEG alpha power. Cardiac, electrodermal and pupillary reactivities occurred in both painful and stressful conditions. Classification models, trained on leave-one-out cross-validation folds, showed low accuracy (61-73%) of cortical and autonomic features taken independently, while their combination significantly improved accuracy to 93% in individual reports. ConclusionsChanges in cortical oscillations reflecting somatosensory salience and autonomic changes reflecting arousal can be triggered by many activating signals other than pain; conversely, the simultaneous occurrence of somatosensory activation plus strong autonomic arousal has great probability of reflecting pain uniquely. SignificanceCombining changes in cortical and autonomic reactivities appears critical to derive accurate indexes of acute pain perception.

Cortical beta oscillations help synchronise muscles during static posture holding in healthy motor control

How cortical oscillations are involved in the coordination of functionally coupled muscles and how this is modulated by different movement contexts (static vs dynamic) remains unclear. Here, this is investigated by recording high-density electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) from different forearm muscles while healthy participants (n=20) performed movement tasks (static and dynamic posture holding, and reaching) with their dominant hand. When dynamic perturbation was applied, beta band (15-35Hz) activities in the motor cortex contralateral to the performing hand reduced during the holding phase, comparative to when there was no perturbation. During static posture holding, transient periods of increased cortical beta oscillations (beta bursts) were associated with greater corticomuscular coherence and increased phase synchrony between muscles (intermuscular coherence) in the beta frequency band compared to the no-burst period. This effect was not present when resisting dynamic perturbation. The results suggest that cortical beta bursts assist synchronisation of different muscles during static posture holding in healthy motor control, contributing to the maintenance and stabilisation of functional muscle groups. Theoretically, increased cortical beta oscillations could lead to exaggerated synchronisation in different muscles making the initialisation of movements more difficult, as observed in Parkinson's disease.

From preparation to post-processing: Insights into evoked and induced cortical activity during pre-cued motor reactions in children and adolescents

IntroductionThe motor system undergoes significant development throughout childhood and adolescence. The contingent negative variation (CNV), a brain response reflecting preparation for upcoming actions, offers valuable insights into these changes. However, previous CNV studies of motor preparation have primarily focused on adults, leaving a gap in our understanding of how cortical activity related to motor planning and execution matures in children and adolescents. MethodsThe study addresses this gap by investigating the maturation of motor preparation, pre-activation, and post-processing in 46 healthy, right-handed children and adolescents aged 5–16 years. To overcome the resolution limitations of previous studies, we combined 64-electrode high-density Electroencephalography (EEG) and advanced analysis techniques, such as event-related potentials (ERPs), mu-rhythm desynchronization as well as source localization approaches. The combined analyses provided an in-depth understanding of cortical activity during motor control. ResultsOur data showed that children exhibited prolonged reaction times, increased errors, and a distinct pattern of cortical activation compared to adolescents. The findings suggest that the supplementary motor area (SMA) plays a progressively stronger role in motor planning and response evaluation as children age. Additionally, we observe a decrease in sensory processing and post-movement activity with development, potentially reflecting increased efficiency. Interestingly, adolescent subjects, unlike young adults in previous studies, did not yet show contralateral activation of motor areas during the motor preparation phase (late CNV). ConclusionThe progressive increase in SMA activation and distinct cortical activation patterns in younger participants suggest immature motor areas. These immature regions might be a primary cause underlying the age-related increase in motor action control efficiency. Additionally, the study demonstrates a prolonged maturation of cortical motor areas, extending well into early adulthood, challenging the assumption that motor control is fully developed by late adolescence. This research, extending fundamental knowledge of motor control development, offers valuable insights that lay the foundation for understanding and treating motor control difficulties.

Predicting creative behavior using resting-state electroencephalography

Neuroscience research has shown that specific brain patterns can relate to creativity during multiple tasks but also at rest. Nevertheless, the electrophysiological correlates of a highly creative brain remain largely unexplored. This study aims to uncover resting-state networks related to creative behavior using high-density electroencephalography (HD-EEG) and to test whether the strength of functional connectivity within these networks could predict individual creativity in novel subjects. We acquired resting state HD-EEG data from 90 healthy participants who completed a creative behavior inventory. We then employed connectome-based predictive modeling; a machine-learning technique that predicts behavioral measures from brain connectivity features. Using a support vector regression, our results reveal functional connectivity patterns related to high and low creativity, in the gamma frequency band (30-45 Hz). In leave-one-out cross-validation, the combined model of high and low networks predicts individual creativity with very good accuracy (r = 0.36, p = 0.00045). Furthermore, the model’s predictive power is established through external validation on an independent dataset (N = 41), showing a statistically significant correlation between observed and predicted creativity scores (r = 0.35, p = 0.02). These findings reveal large-scale networks that could predict creative behavior at rest, providing a crucial foundation for developing HD-EEG-network-based markers of creativity.

Exploring Electrocortical Signatures of Gait Adaptation: Differential Neural Dynamics in Slow and Fast Gait Adapters.

Individuals exhibit significant variability in their ability to adapt locomotor skills, with some adapting quickly and others more slowly. Differences in brain activity likely contribute to this variability, but direct neural evidence is lacking. We investigated individual differences in electrocortical activity that led to faster locomotor adaptation rates. We recorded high-density electroencephalography while young, neurotypical adults adapted their walking on a split-belt treadmill and grouped them based on how quickly they restored their gait symmetry. Results revealed unique spectral signatures within the posterior parietal, bilateral sensorimotor, and right visual cortices that differ between fast and slow adapters. Specifically, fast adapters exhibited lower alpha power in the posterior parietal and right visual cortices during early adaptation, associated with quicker attainment of steady-state step length symmetry. Decreased posterior parietal alpha may reflect enhanced spatial attention, sensory integration, and movement planning to facilitate faster locomotor adaptation. Conversely, slow adapters displayed greater alpha and beta power in the right visual cortex during late adaptation, suggesting potential differences in visuospatial processing. Additionally, fast adapters demonstrated reduced spectral power in the bilateral sensorimotor cortices compared with slow adapters, particularly in the theta band, which may suggest variations in perception of the split-belt perturbation. These findings suggest that alpha and beta oscillations in the posterior parietal and visual cortices and theta oscillations in the sensorimotor cortex are related to the rate of gait adaptation.

Transcranial focused ultrasound to V5 enhances human visual motion brain-computer interface by modulating feature-based attention

A brain-computer interface (BCI) enables users to control devices with their minds. Despite advancements, non-invasive BCIs still exhibit high error rates, prompting investigation into the potential reduction through concurrent targeted neuromodulation. Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is an emerging non-invasive neuromodulation technology with high spatiotemporal precision. This study examines whether tFUS neuromodulation can improve BCI outcomes, and explores the underlying mechanism of action using high-density electroencephalography (EEG) source imaging (ESI). As a result, V5-targeted tFUS significantly reduced the error in a BCI speller task. Source analyses revealed a significantly increase in theta and alpha activities in the tFUS condition at both V5 and downstream in the dorsal visual processing pathway. Correlation analysis indicated that the connection within the dorsal processing pathway was preserved during tFUS stimulation, while the ventral connection was weakened. These findings suggest that V5-targeted tFUS enhances feature-based attention to visual motion.

Early effect of onabotulinumtoxinA on EEG-based functional connectivity in patients with chronic migraine: A pilot study.

In this pilot prospective cohort study, we aimed to evaluate, using high-density electroencephalography (HD-EEG), the longitudinal changes in functional connectivity (FC) in patients with chronic migraine (CM) treated with onabotulinumtoxinA (OBTA). OBTA is a treatment for CM. Several studies have shown the modulatory action of OBTA on the central nervous system; however, research on migraine is limited. This study was conducted at the Neurology Unit of "Policlinico Tor Vergata," Rome, Italy, and included 12 adult patients with CM treated with OBTA and 15 healthy controls (HC). Patients underwent clinical scales at enrollment (T0) and 3 months (T1) from the start of treatment. HD-EEG was recorded using a 64-channel system in patients with CM at T0 and T1. A source reconstruction method was used to identify brain activity. FC in δ-θ-α-β-low-γ bands was analyzed using the weighted phase-lag index. FC changes between HCs and CM at T0 and T1 were assessed using cross-validation methods to estimate the results' reliability. Compared to HCs at T0, patients with CM showed hyperconnected networks in δ (p = 0.046, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC: 0.76-0.98], Cohen's κ [0.65-0.93]) and β (p = 0.031, AUC [0.68-0.95], Cohen's κ [0.51-0.84]), mainly involving orbitofrontal, occipital, temporal pole and orbitofrontal, superior temporal, occipital, cingulate areas, and hypoconnected networks in α band (p = 0.029, AUC [0.80-0.99], Cohen's κ [0.42-0.77]), predominantly involving cingulate, temporal pole, and precuneus. Patients with CM at T1, compared to T0, showed hypoconnected networks in δ band (p = 0.032, AUC [0.73-0.99], Cohen's κ [0.53-0.90]) and hyperconnected networks in α band (p = 0.048, AUC [0.58-0.93], Cohen's κ [0.37-0.78]), involving the sensorimotor, orbitofrontal, cingulate, and temporal cortex. These preliminary results showed that patients with CM presented disrupted EEG-FC compared to controls restored by a single session of OBTA treatment, suggesting a primary central modulatory action of OBTA.

An interhemispheric frontoparietal network supports hypnotic states

Understanding the neural substrate of altered conscious states is an important cultural, scientific, and clinical endeavour. Although hypnosis causes strong shifts in conscious perception and cognition, it remains largely unclear how hypnosis affects information processing in cortical networks. Here we manipulated the depth of hypnotic states to study information processing between cortical regions involved in attention and awareness. We used high-density Electroencephalography (EEG) to record resting-state cortical activity from 30 hypnosis experts during two hypnotic states with different depth. Each participant entered a light and a deep hypnotic state as well as two well-matched control states. Bridging top-down and lateralisation models of hypnosis, we found that interhemispheric frontoparietal connectivity distinguished hypnosis and control conditions, while no difference was found between the two hypnotic states. Using a graph-theoretic measure, we revealed that the amount of information passing through individual nodes (measured via betweenness centrality) is reduced during hypnosis relative to control states. Finally, we found that theta power was enhanced during hypnosis. Our result contributes to the current discussion around a role for theta power in bringing about hypnotic states, as well as other altered conscious states. Overall, our findings support the notion that altered top-down control in frontoparietal regions facilitates hypnosis by integrating information between cortical hemispheres.

Cross-modal plasticity in children with cochlear implant: converging evidence from electroencephalography and functional near-infrared spectroscopy

Abstract Over the first years of life, the brain undergoes substantial organization in response to environmental stimulation. In a silent world, it may promote vision by 1) recruiting resources from the auditory cortex and 2) making the visual cortex more efficient. It is unclear when such changes occur and how adaptive they are, questions that children with cochlear implants can help address. Here, we examined 7 to 18 years old children: 50 had cochlear implants, with delayed or age-appropriate language abilities, and 25 had typical hearing and language. High-density electroencephalography and functional near-infrared spectroscopy were used to evaluate cortical responses to a low-level visual task. Evidence for a weaker visual cortex response and less synchronized or less inhibitory activity of auditory association areas in the implanted children with language delays suggests that cross-modal reorganization can be maladaptive and does not necessarily strengthen the dominant visual sense.

Involvement of the contralateral hippocampus in ictal-like but not interictal epileptic activities in the kainate mouse model of temporal lobe epilepsy.

Animal and human studies have shown that the seizure-generating region is vastly dependent on distant neuronal hubs that can decrease duration and propagation of ongoing seizures. However, we still lack a comprehensive understanding of the impact of distant brain areas on specific interictal and ictal epileptic activities (e.g., isolated spikes, spike trains, seizures). Such knowledge is critically needed, because all kinds of epileptic activities are not equivalent in terms of clinical expression and impact on the progression of the disease. We used surface high-density electroencephalography and multisite intracortical recordings, combined with pharmacological silencing of specific brain regions in the well-known kainate mouse model of temporal lobe epilepsy. We tested the impact of selective regional silencing on the generation of epileptic activities within a continuum ranging from very transient to more sustained and long-lasting discharges reminiscent of seizures. Silencing the contralateral hippocampus completely suppresses sustained ictal activities in the focus, as efficiently as silencing the focus itself, but whereas focus silencing abolishes all focus activities, contralateral silencing fails to control transient spikes. In parallel, we observed that sustained focus epileptiform discharges in the focus are preceded by contralateral firing and more strongly phase-locked to bihippocampal delta/theta oscillations than transient spiking activities, reinforcing the presumed dominant role of the contralateral hippocampus in promoting long-lasting, but not transient, epileptic activities. Altogether, our work provides suggestive evidence that the contralateral hippocampus is necessary for the interictal to ictal state transition and proposes that crosstalk between contralateral neuronal activity and ipsilateral delta/theta oscillation could be a candidate mechanism underlying the progression from short- to long-lasting epileptic activities.

Lower nonword syllable sequence repetition accuracy in adults who stutter is related to differences in audio-motor oscillations

ObjectiveThe goal of this study was to use independent component analysis (ICA) of high-density electroencephalography (EEG) to investigate whether differences in audio-motor neural oscillations are related to nonword syllable repetition accuracy in a group of adults who stutter compared to typically fluent speakers. MethodsEEG was recorded using 128 channels from 23 typically fluent speakers and 23 adults who stutter matched for age, sex, and handedness. EEG was recorded during delayed, 2 and 4 bilabial nonword syllable repetition conditions. Scalp-topography, dipole source estimates, and power spectral density (PSD) were computed for each independent component (IC) and used to cluster similar ICs across participants. Event-related spectral perturbations (ERSPs) were computed for each IC cluster to examine changes over time in the repetition conditions and to examine how dynamic changes in ERSPs are related to syllable repetition accuracy. ResultsFindings indicated significantly lower accuracy on a measure of percentage correct trials in the AWS group and for a normalized measure of syllable load performance across conditions. Analysis of ERSPs revealed significantly lower alpha/beta ERD in left and right μ ICs and in left and right posterior temporal lobe α ICs in AWS compared to TFS (CC p < 0.05). Pearson correlations with %CT for frequency across time showed strong relationships with accuracy (FWE<0.05) during maintenance in the TFS group and during execution in the AWS group. ConclusionsFindings implicate lower alpha/beta ERD (8–30 Hz) during syllable encoding over posterior temporal ICs and execution in left temporal/sensorimotor components. Strong correlations with accuracy and interindividual differences in ∼6–8 Hz ERSPs during execution implicate differences in motor and auditory-sensory monitoring during syllable sequence execution in AWS.

Shared EEG correlates between non-REM parasomnia experiences and dreams

Sleepwalking and related parasomnias result from incomplete awakenings out of non-rapid eye movement sleep. Behavioral episodes can occur without consciousness or recollection, or in relation to dream-like experiences. To understand what accounts for these differences in consciousness and recall, here we recorded parasomnia episodes with high-density electroencephalography (EEG) and interviewed participants immediately afterward about their experiences. Compared to reports of no experience (19%), reports of conscious experience (56%) were preceded by high-amplitude EEG slow waves in anterior cortical regions and activation of posterior cortical regions, similar to previously described EEG correlates of dreaming. Recall of the content of the experience (56%), compared to no recall (25%), was associated with higher EEG activation in the right medial temporal region before movement onset. Our work suggests that the EEG correlates of parasomnia experiences are similar to those reported for dreams and may thus reflect core physiological processes involved in sleep consciousness.

Brain Networks Modulation during Simple and Complex Gait: A "Mobile Brain/Body Imaging" Study.

Walking encompasses a complex interplay of neuromuscular coordination and cognitive processes. Disruptions in gait can impact personal independence and quality of life, especially among the elderly and neurodegenerative patients. While traditional biomechanical analyses and neuroimaging techniques have contributed to understanding gait control, they often lack the temporal resolution needed for rapid neural dynamics. This study employs a mobile brain/body imaging (MoBI) platform with high-density electroencephalography (hd-EEG) to explore event-related desynchronization and synchronization (ERD/ERS) during overground walking. Simultaneous to hdEEG, we recorded gait spatiotemporal parameters. Participants were asked to walk under usual walking and dual-task walking conditions. For data analysis, we extracted ERD/ERS in α, β, and γ bands from 17 selected regions of interest encompassing not only the sensorimotor cerebral network but also the cognitive and affective networks. A correlation analysis was performed between gait parameters and ERD/ERS intensities in different networks in the different phases of gait. Results showed that ERD/ERS modulations across gait phases in the α and β bands extended beyond the sensorimotor network, over the cognitive and limbic networks, and were more prominent in all networks during dual tasks with respect to usual walking. Correlation analyses showed that a stronger α ERS in the initial double-support phases correlates with shorter step length, emphasizing the role of attention in motor control. Additionally, β ERD/ERS in affective and cognitive networks during dual-task walking correlated with dual-task gait performance, suggesting compensatory mechanisms in complex tasks. This study advances our understanding of neural dynamics during overground walking, emphasizing the multidimensional nature of gait control involving cognitive and affective networks.

Efficacy of Wearable low-intensity pulsed Ultrasound treatment in the Movement disorder in Parkinson’s disease (the SWUMP trial): protocol for a single-site, double-blind, randomized controlled trial

BackgroundParkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative illness marked by the loss of dopaminergic neurons, causing motor symptoms. Oral levodopa replacement therapy remains the gold standard in the treatment of PD. It is, nevertheless, a symptomatic treatment. There is currently no effective treatment for PD. Therefore, new therapies for PD are highly desirable. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) has been shown to improve behavioral functions in PD animal models. It is a new type of neuromodulation approach that combines noninvasiveness with high spatial precision. The purpose of this study is to establish a new clinical protocol for LIPUS in the treatment of movement disorders in patients with PD.MethodsThis protocol is a single-site, prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial (RCT). Forty-eight participants with clinically confirmed PD will be randomly allocated to one of two groups: LIPUS group or sham group. All of the participants continue to use pharmacological therapy as a fundamental treatment. The primary outcome is the difference between groups from baseline to 4 months in the change in the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) motor score (part III). The secondary outcomes include the rating scales such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and other three rating scales, and medical examinations including high-density electroencephalography (hdEEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The primary safety outcome will be assessed at 4 months, and adverse events will be recorded.DiscussionThis study represents the clinical investigation into the efficacy of therapeutic LIPUS in the treatment of PD for the first time. If LIPUS is determined to be effective, it could offer a practical and innovative means of expanding the accessibility of ultrasound therapy by using a wearable LIPUS device within a home setting.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2100052093. Registered on 17 October 2021.

Proof–of–concept evidence for high–density EEG investigation of sleep slow wave traveling in First-Episode Psychosis

Schizophrenia is thought to reflect aberrant connectivity within cortico-cortical and reentrant thalamo-cortical loops, which physiologically integrate and coordinate the function of multiple cortical and subcortical structures. Despite extensive research, reliable biomarkers of such "dys-connectivity" remain to be identified at the onset of psychosis, and before exposure to antipsychotic drugs. Because slow waves travel across the brain during sleep, they represent an ideal paradigm to study pathological conditions affecting brain connectivity. Here, we provide proof–of–concept evidence for a novel approach to investigate slow wave traveling properties in First-Episode Psychosis (FEP) with high-density electroencephalography (EEG). Whole–night sleep recordings of 5 drug-naïve FEP and 5 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects were obtained with a 256-channel EEG system. One patient was re-recorded after 6 months and 3 years of continuous clozapine treatment. Slow wave detection and traveling properties were obtained with an open-source toolbox. Slow wave density and slow wave traveled distance (measured as the line of longest displacement) were significantly lower in patients (p < 0.05). In the patient who was tested longitudinally during effective clozapine treatment, slow wave density normalized, while traveling distance only partially recovered. These preliminary findings suggest that slow wave traveling could be employed in larger samples to detect cortical "dys-connectivity" at psychosis onset.

Longitudinal effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on visual neurodevelopment over infancy.

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) affects neurodevelopment in over 59 million individuals globally. Prior studies using dichotomous categorization of alcohol use and comorbid substance exposures provide limited knowledge of how prenatal alcohol specifically impacts early human neurodevelopment. In this longitudinal cohort study from Cape Town, South Africa, PAE is measured continuously-characterizing timing, dose, and drinking patterns (i.e., binge drinking). High-density electroencephalography (EEG) during a visual-evoked potential (VEP) task was collected from infants aged 8 to 52 weeks with prenatal exposure exclusively to alcohol and matched on sociodemographic factors to infants with no substance exposure in utero. First trimester alcohol exposure related to altered timing of the P1 VEP component over the first 6 months postnatally, and first trimester binge drinking exposure altered timing of the P1 VEP components such that increased exposure was associated with longer VEP latencies while increasing age was related to shorter VEP latencies (n = 108). These results suggest alcohol exposure in the first trimester may alter visual neurodevelopmental timing in early infancy. Exploratory individual-difference analysis across infants with and without PAE tested the relation between VEP latencies and myelination for a subsample of infants with usable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T1w and T2w scans collected at the same time point as EEG (n = 47). Decreased MRI T1w/T2w ratios (an indicator of myelin) in the primary visual cortex (n = 47) were linked to longer P1 VEP latencies. Results from these two sets of analyses suggest that prenatal alcohol and postnatal myelination may both separately impact VEP latency over infancy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Navigating Pubertal Goldilocks: The Optimal Pace for Hierarchical Brain Organization.

Adolescence is a timed process with an onset, tempo, and duration. Nevertheless, the temporal dimension, especially the pace of maturation, remains an insufficiently studied aspect of developmental progression. The primary objective is to estimate the precise influence of pubertal maturational tempo on the configuration of associative brain regions. To this end, the connection between maturational stages and the level of hierarchical organization of large-scale brain networks in 12-13-year-old females is analyzed. Skeletal maturity is used as a proxy for pubertal progress. The degree of maturity is defined by the difference between bone age and chronological age. To assess the level of hierarchical organization in the brain, the temporal dynamic of closed eye resting state high-density electroencephalography (EEG) in the alpha frequency range is analyzed. Different levels of hierarchical order are captured by the measured asymmetry in the directionality of information flow between different regions. The calculated EEG-based entropy production of participant groups is then compared with accelerated, average, and decelerated maturity. Results indicate that an average maturational trajectory optimally aligns with cerebral hierarchical order, and both accelerated and decelerated timelines result in diminished cortical organization. This suggests that a "Goldilocks rule" of brain development is favoring a particular maturational tempo.

The fear of COVID-19 contagion: an exploratory EEG-fMRI study

Pandemics have the potential to change how people behave and feel. The COVID-19 pandemic is no exception; thus, it may serve as a "challenging context" for understanding how pandemics affect people's minds. In this study, we used high-density electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the neural correlates of fear of contagion during the most critical moments of COVID-19 in Italy (i.e., October 2020–May 2021). To do that, we stimulated participants (N = 17; nine females) with artificial-intelligence-generated faces of people presented as healthy, recovered from COVID-19, or infected by SARS-CoV-2. The fMRI results documented a modulation of large bilateral fronto-temporo-parietal functional brain networks. Critically, we found selective recruitment of cortical (e.g., frontal lobes) and subcortical fear-related structures (e.g., amygdala and putamen) of the so-called social brain network when participants observed COVID-19-related faces. Consistently, EEG results showed distinct patterns of brain activity selectively associated with infected and recovered faces (e.g., delta and gamma rhythm). Together, these results highlight how pandemic contexts may reverberate in the human brain, thus influencing most basic social and cognitive functioning. This may explain the emergence of a cluster of psychopathologies during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this study underscores the need for prompt interventions to address pandemics' short- and long-term consequences on mental health.